Cashew Chicken
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Grab a pan, gather your ingredients, and get ready to whip up homemade cashew chicken that’s every bit as tasty as your favorite take-out.
Craving the flavors of your favorite Chinese take-out? This delicious cashew chicken recipe is a breeze to make at home. You don’t need a wok, just a large nonstick skillet. And aside from the chicken, the only chopping involves fresh garlic and scallions. The rest of the ingredients are easily found in your pantry in bottles and jars. Heads up: Stir-fries cook very quickly, so it’s essential to have everything measured and ready to go before you start cooking. And when it comes to the chicken, take care not to cut the pieces too small; larger chunks ensure they cook evenly without becoming overdone.
“Quick and easy. My teenage son and his friends all raved how good it was. Thanks!”
What You’ll Need To Make Cashew Chicken
- Roasted, unsalted cashews: Provide a crunchy texture and nutty flavor to the dish.
- Water: Used for adjusting the consistency of the sauce.
- Cornstarch: Acts as a thickening agent for the sauce, giving it a glossy appearance and helping it adhere to the chicken.
- Hoisin sauce: Adds a sweet, savory, and slightly tangy flavor to the dish. Be sure to use a high-quality brand, such as Kikkoman or Lee Kum Kee—it makes a big difference.
- Soy sauce: Provides saltiness and umami flavor.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins: A lean cut that’s tender when stir-fried.
- Vegetable oil: Used for stir-frying the chicken and aromatics.
- Garlic and scallions: Garlic adds aromatic flavor, while scallions contribute both flavor and color to the dish.
- Rice vinegar: Adds a tangy and slightly sweet flavor to balance out the flavors.
- Asian sesame oil: Provides a distinct nutty aroma and flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, place the cashews on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Toast in the oven until fragrant, about 5 minutes. (They will crisp up as they cool.) Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together the water, cornstarch, hoisin sauce and soy sauce. Set aside.
Next, season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over high heat until very hot. Add half of the chicken to the skillet.
Stir-fry until lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet; then add remaining chicken, garlic and white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry until the chicken is lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Return the first batch of chicken to the pan. Turn the heat down to medium and add the rice vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.
Add the sauce mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the scallion greens, cashews and sesame oil.
Serve with rice.
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Cashew Chicken
Grab a pan, gather your ingredients, and get ready to whip up homemade cashew chicken that’s every bit as tasty as your favorite take-out.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup roasted, unsalted cashews
- ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce, best quality such as Kikkoman or Lee Kum Kee
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 8 scallions (1 bunch), white and green parts separated, each cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the cashews on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast in the oven until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Set aside; they will crisp up as they cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together the water, cornstarch, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce. Set aside.
- Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over high heat until very hot. Add half of the chicken to the skillet and stir-fry until lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet; then add the remaining chicken, garlic and white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry until the chicken is lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Return the first batch of chicken to the pan. Turn the heat down to medium and add the rice vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.
- Add the sauce mixture to the chicken; cook, tossing, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is nicely thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the scallion greens, cashews and sesame oil. Serve immediately.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Serving size: about 1 1/4 cups each
- Calories: 464
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Sodium: 855 mg
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Absolutely Amazing All 4 kids loved it. Will be making this again for sure
Delicious! I made this tonight for my husband and myself and there we no leftovers. I did halve the recipe. I’m not a huge fan of chicken but will definitely make again. Thanks Jen!!
We loved it. It was easy to make and you can add in your own favorite veggies like pea pods , green beans, broccoli.
We will make it again.
Used a homemade hoisin sauce with this and it was absolutely marvelous! Thanks for sharing! We’ll be making it again!
Good Morning Jenn,
This is my first review! I’ve made several of your recipes and love them all. I made this recipe for dinner last night & was excited to get up this morning to thank you. My 22 year old son is one of those picky eaters. Ugh 🙁 He basically lives on plain chicken & rice. So, as usual, I left some of the cooked chicken aside for him without the sauce. AND as usual, I asked him if he’d like to try the whole dish that the family is eating. He said, “Yes!” (It must have been the delicious aroma). He ate it all & asked for more! To top off the great evening, my husband kissed me goodnight & said, “You made a beautiful dinner tonight.”
Can I use peanut oil instead of vegetable oil, or would that be overpowering? Thanks!
That should be fine (though it will taste a bit peanutty). Enjoy!
This was the best chicken recipe that I have ever made for my adult kids who love Asian anything but will only eat certain chicken dishes.5 stars. I sauteed broccoli and mushrooms and carrots separately as well as basmati rice separately.Everyone loved the toasted cashews. Can’t wait to cook more of your recipes. Thank you
The Cashew Chicken recipe is perfect just the way it is – so flavorful, easy to create, and beautiful to look at. I’ve tried a few adjustments, like adding the scallions with the other veggies to cook, or adding pea pods for additional color. Everything I’ve tried works!
I made this last night. Was awesome and all I expected and more. First, there was lots of food. Second I added three Thai red peppers fresh halved down the middle for extra zip third, when Ms. Ségal says cook for one or two or three minutes, do that…to avoid rubber chicken. Yum yum
I would like to add some spice…when did you add the peppers.
I love this recipe!!! I like getting Chinese take out but now I love to make it at home even more!!! The first time I made this recipe I used chicken thighs. They were full of flavor. The next time I made it I used chicken breast. It was just as good. My husband who just likes Chinese food really likes this dish. I pare it with steamed broccoli and carrots or green beens. This is one of my favorites!
Excellent dish! Felt like something asian for dinner and saw this recipe – super easy and quick to make. Served with rice. Would definitely do again!!
Ultimate comfort food
When I’m craving something comforting and simple, I make this. It comes together in a cinch and I usually have everything on hand. If I’m feeling wild I serve it with steamed broccoli. The only trouble is not eating too much of it! It’s easy to do. Another perk? My 3 year old loves it. Definitely a keeper.